Masonry Magazine January 1998 Page. 16
Job Site Example
Let's cite for example a brick veneer on a 50 x 26 foot home. There are three masons on the job and each is working on 12 feet of wall. You first place a corner pole at each of the corners of one of the 26 foot long walls and at about 12 feet from the corner of a 50 foot long wall. This gives a run of 38 feet or less than 13 feet per mason. For the next run, set up a corner pole at the end of the partially completed 50 foot long wall and at the corner of the other 26 foot long wall. This gives another run of 38 feet. Four of these and the building is finished.
Wide Open Work Areas
The scenario described keeps masons from being cramped and from walking too much while working an overly long area. A productive spacing of masons on a brick wall with no openings is about 10 feet. This lets each mason work from one mortar board placed in the center of his 10 foot area. Pivoting without stepping, the mason can spread mortar at any point in his entire wall area. He uses the mortar quickly and does little or no tempering. Uniformity brings better production and he can lay many courses before tooling joints.
Mason tenders also are more readily available because they are setting up an area next to where the masons are working. They don't have to erect scaffolding around the corner or as far down the wall.
Once the size of the joints is determined, following a corner pole will automatically bring the courses to the proper heights at sills, heads, and soffits. The entire wall is plumb and level, not just the leads. Laying masonry in a straight line from corner pole to corner pole eliminates the dips, bows, or "hogs" in the wall which usually start at the leads. Masonry guides can thus increase overall production by 10% to 30% over traditional methods. An example helps to make the point.
Speed & Accuracy + Profit
Assume the increase in production is only 10%. If the contractor nets about 10% profit on labor, as many do, that production increase can double profits. It also produces 10% more work over a given period with the same amount of personnel, thus increasing profits even more. The pay back period varies by area wages, but even if measured conservatively, masonry guides often pay for themselves with the first or second job.
What to look for
In the '90's, automobiles are still basically people movers but they now have many features unknown or rare in the '50's. Similarly, there have been refinements to the basic masonry guide. Poles are available with standard & modular scales or without markings. There is still a lot of "mileage" in the type of pole that uses a Brick/Modular Spacing Tape to indicate line placement. Fittings and accessories can be had that extend, stabilize or allow mounting on special features such as chimneys. Bon Tool Company also manufacturers other devices for increasing production such as gable clamps for laying masonry in the gable area and sill clamps for soldier courses at windows.
If trading up to a more recently manufactured corner pole, or adding more units for a growing work force, what features define the latest generation of this tool?
The industry has standardized on the use of a two inch (2") square aluminum pole, nine feet (9') long with these features:
1) ease of erection
2) deflection resistance
3) inherently non-corrosive
4) sturdy for rough handling on the job site
5) resets quickly and easily for multi-story work.
Spacing marks should be permanent, not subject to removal by casual abrasion.
They should be simple to use